Jim bundled Dundee to a European glory night
DUNDEE are desperate to keep their hopes of a Premiership top-six finish alive by beating Aberdeen on Friday night.
It’s a sign of the times that Scottish teams only have domestic success to go for at this time of year.
On March 27, 1968, Dundee were playing in the quarter-final of the Fairs Cup.
The Dark Blues met FC Zurich at Dens Park in the first leg of the tie. It was a night that Jim Easton will never forget.
He’d spent four years in the Dundee defence but had still to score.
A European tie was the perfect time to get off the mark.
Jim recalled:“It was just when my middle son was born that we played Zurich and I scored a goal that probably wouldn’t be allowed now.
“A cross came over from Stevie Murray and the goalkeeper couldn’t quite get hold of it.
“I headed the ball and it went, along with the keeper, into the back of the net.
“These days the slightest touch on a goalie results in a free-kick. But they didn’t get as much protection back then.
“Taking a lead to Switzerland was a big boost and we won 1-0 over there as well.
“That led to us playing Leeds United in the semi-final.
“We drew 1-1 at home but lost 1-0 at Elland Road, although we had a real go at them.
“Reaching a European semi-final was still quite an achievement.”
Jim’s only other goal for Dundee came in his last-ever match for the club – a 4-0 win over Motherwell.
Playing almost 200 games over seven years was pretty remarkable for a player who’d suffered two broken legs during his time at Hibs.
He was known as the king of the sliding tackle at Easter Road and was capped by Scotland Under-23s.
“I first broke my leg at Airdrie when my progress was stopped by a little wooden fence that kept you off the running track and one of their players fell on me.
“The second time it happened on a cold, wet night at East Stirlingshire.
“I’m glad to say that I made a full recovery on both occasions and I’ve never had any trouble since then.
“But Jock Stein took over as manager and signed John McNamee from Celtic to play in central defence while I was out.
“He was very honest with me, and it wasn’t long before Dundee made a bid after they’d sold Ian Ure to Arsenal.
“It was a great time to be at Dundee because they still had most of the players who’d won the league championship.
“The club was full of really talented players like Alex Hamilton, Bobby Cox, Andy Penman, Bob Seith and Alan Gilzean.
“Charlie Cooke arrived from Aberdeen at the same time as me and he was a magician with the ball.
“I’m so glad to have been a footballer in that era. We played with and against so many fantastic stars.”
Jim moved to become player-manager at Queen of the South for a couple of seasons before heading to the USA.
He went on: “After leaving Queens, I was approach by former Hibs player John Young.
“He was coach of MiamiToros and persuaded me to go over and try my luck.
“We had former Rangers winger Willie Hendersonintheteam, aswellasex-Manchester United defender David Sadler.”
There followed two seasons as coach of Vancouver Whitecaps before Jim, now 76, gave up full-time football.
He settled in Canada, began work with a sportswear firm and coached up-and-coming young players.